MA Off-peak is dying

[Max]

Butcher, if there was a Fightertown (3 sides, small map, 3 fields) with fighter based aircraft only (no GV's, buffs, or destructible hangars...hence no war to win) would you return?

I'm not suggesting elimination of any presents arenas; just adding in this new one. Perk points/costs would apply...no ENY. Basically a free for all for air combat.

[Triton28]

It's been hard watching Aces High, the game I love, die a slow and painfully obvious death. Meanwhile, simcade games like War Thunder, who can't even implement hat-switch views and fix rubber band controls are making a fortune.

Looking at their forums, it seems they have their share of problems.  Not sure how much is bluster, but if you believe some of the posters, WT FRB is dead as soon as Il2 BOS comes out. 

+1 for smaller maps.  Hopefully the upcoming graphics update will attract and help retrain new peeps.   

[lengro]

This is what is stopping me from really coming back to the game, lack of fights.

+1

Butcher, if there was a Fightertown (3 sides, small map, 3 fields) with fighter based aircraft only (no GV's, buffs, or destructible hangars...hence no war to win) would you return?

That would be close to DA lake?

Shutting bases down when few players are online is an interesting idea.

[Vraciu]

It's been hard watching Aces High, the game I love, die a slow and painfully obvious death. Meanwhile, simcade games like War Thunder, who can't even implement hat-switch views and fix rubber band controls are making a fortune.

I watched this happen to Warbirds a few years ago.  Same complaints.   They have 11 players on at times during daytime USA.  Pathetic.

When I came here the WWII arena was fun and active.  Now it is dead.

+1 on smaller maps, too.

[Slate]

   It's the world Economy. If people can hardly afford to support their family there is not much room for fun and games. Parents still will buy what their pesky Kids want and they see the Ads on the Tele for the next kill the cop game.
   When a lot of us were younger being a fighter pilot was the ultimate Job with many movies and tv shows about.
   When was the last Fighter Movie you've seen?

The transition from PC's to tablets and other internet access doesn't expose many young ones to PC gaming.
   Many TV commercials you can see now are for the console games. Somehow they sell a $400 console and $50-$70 games and then oh you need a new system in a year for more eye candy. 
   
   

[Karnak]

 Many TV commercials you can see now are for the console games. Somehow they sell a $400 console and $50-$70 games and then oh you need a new system in a year for more eye candy. 

Actually the advantage of consoles is that the hardware is static for seven or eight years.  An XBOX360 from 2005 is just as capable as an XBOX360 now.  This year there is a new generation of consoles being released by Sony and Microsoft, but the next generation won't be here until 2020 at the earliest.  It is PCs that used to demand frequent updating, though that has slowed as it has become normal for titles to be released for PC/Xbox/Playstation at the same time which limits the PC to, more or less, what the current topline consoles can do.

[JunkyII]

+1 the difference in the off peak hours 4 years ago to now are terrible....doesn't seem like anyone is actually playing at times.

[Karnak]

Hopefully the graphics update helps bring in new players.

[Lusche]

+1 the difference in the off peak hours 4 years ago to now are terrible...

Though it's just reflecting the overall drop in numbers. Peak numbers have suffered as well, it's just more noticeable at 'low tide'

[Sunka]

Though it's just reflecting the overall drop in numbers. Peak numbers have suffered as well, it's just more noticeable at 'low tide'

Do you know what average peek numbers where say 5 or 6 years ago with the split main's, compared to now?

[Max]

I seem to recall the split mains being about 250-300 and 150-200. Titanic Tuesday would sometimes get past 700.

[Rich46yo]

Ive said this a thousand times. The "economy" is not high on the list for reasons why people leave games. Maybe more so with pay per month games but still, despite the economy, gamers will pay to play their favorite games.

I expected a down turn in the arena after BF4 and COD G came out, plus a few other games. As for those two, and despite their graphical beauty, most of all BF4, I think the coders who wrote the games were riding the rock pipe. Talk about numerous problems!

I think improved graphics will bring players back to AH. Playing these other games reminds me of how well written Aces High actually is. With a new graphics look I'll probably be the first to come back. It would be great to get the old Euro crowd back as well. I can remember when USA morning and afternoon time had the most skilled players on.

[wpeters]

These are the changes I see that need to be added.  

1 Il-2 and Ju-87 d3 and G2 avaliable at the vbase

2 Smaller maps.

3 Every map has a tank town.

4 Less than a 120 players on a aera of the map can become a three way fight with a set of airspawns 15k from each other at alt of 10k.(could be done over TT)

5 When there is less than a 120 players on the map: Ack and town buildings, and hangars (i.e. vh down for 30 min)stay down for 2x longer. Also 5 troops to capture the base.

6 Ad campaign about new graphic in the Gamer magazines and maybe on youtube.. Nothing like haveing ads all about.


By the way HTC I love the new graphics.
        

[Hajo]

Folks IMHO it has nothing to do with the game.  The game has not changed.  As a matter of fact since it's inception it has presented more ways to engage in virtual battle.

Most of us that are still here from the beginning of AH loved the game because of historical possibilities.  We still do.  That's why by in large you will find us in FSO and in

scenarios and rarely in the MA.  In the beginning it was always about the fight.  Even sided fights.  Now, ( this is in no way an insult to those in the community with about 5 years or less)

the game play has changed.  Some want instant action, that can be understood.  Some want instant success.  The internet has provided instant action first person shooter games

that are easier to play.  They provide instant gratification and success in a short period.  GV'ing is point and pull the trigger.  No FM to learn or acm is needed.  This is not a bad thing to

those that wish to do this and I certainly won't knock those that do.  It is their money and they always should do what they enjoy.

I could've made this shorter without writing all the text above.  Fact is the gamer has changed, not the game.

[Lusche]

Do you know what average peek numbers where say 5 or 6 years ago with the split main's, compared to now?

In Sep 2010 (still having the split system at that time) we had about 400-550 players in LW at peak. Today we barely break the 300.
In the heighday we had something like 500-700 IIRC. And you would have to add the EW&MW numbers, which also had been considerably higher than what they are now (though always minor compared to LW). For a time we even had ~100 players in MW at peak... today MW has about the same activity level EW once had...


But I could give more precise numbers for activity in terms of kills. When I joined AH about this time 8 years ago (single LW back then), we had about 1M air to air kills per quarter (as shown by plane stats). This quarter we will get just about over 400K